Electrical apparatus



R. E. WHITE ELECTRICAL APPARATUS April 24, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 8, 1945 lllll/ v ATTO R N EY April 951 V R. E. WHITE 2,549,871

ELECTRICAL Al AaAwus Filed May 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F1013 F to. 14 Z 2 INVENTOR W 5% WM ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 24, 1951 UNI TED STATES QFFI'UE 11 Claims.

"This invention relates to ignition distributor units for internal combustion engines, or the like, for controlling the distribution .of electrical current impulses to a plurality :of circuits lin "timed sequence.

One of :the objects of the present invention is to provide in an ignition distributorunit novel means for mounting a spring pressed current carrying brush of carbon orlike material in a rotating or otherpart thereof wherebysaid brush willbe retained in said part during assembling and disassemblingo'f said unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel resilient mean -'iorbiasing a current .conducting brush of carbon or like material into "operative position and for holding said ibrush against displacement from a rotating or other part of an ignition distributor or like'unit.

.A further object is to provide a "holder and .spring of "novel construction and arrangement 1 for a current carrying brush of, carbon or like material whereby said'brush, holder and spring .may be assembled as "a single unit and will -be maintained in assembled--relation*prior to and after mounting of the same ,on a rotating 'or other part of an ignition distributor or "other .apparatus.

.Astill further object is ,to provide in :an ignition distributor unit for a. multiacylinder internal combustion engine -novel ,means .ior mounting a pair of current carrying brushes of .carbon or like material in the rotor of .said unit, said ..mounting means .also serving as .conductors to gelectrically connect said brushes, thereby ,simpli- :fying theconstruction of saidrotorandrenderring the latter less expensive to manufacture.

.The above and further objects and novel ,fea- "tures of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection ,with the accompany iing drawings. It is to be expresslyunderstood, however, that the drawings are for thepurpose tof sillustration only, andare not intended as a definition .:of the :limits of the invention, -;reference for this latter 1 purpose :being shad :primarily sto the appended (claims.

In the drawings, *wherein like reference :char- :acters refer :to like parts .:throughout the several xviews,

;Fig. '1 is a :fragmentary verticallongitudinal section of an ignition distributor-unit embodying :the :present invention;

Fig. 2 is :a :detail endaelevationnn ianz'enlarged scale :of the distributor -.-rotor and showing thrush 7 2 assemblies mounted therein and constructed :in .accordance with the present invention;

:Fig. .3 is a vertical transverse section .on the 211ine;3 3 of :Eig. :2;

Fig. 4 is .-.a .detail .end elevation, looking :from the right .of 'Fig. 5, of one of the .brush holders;

:Fig. :5 i a detail section of said brush :holder;

Fig. 6 a detail end elevation, :looki-ngafrom the :left .of :Fig. .7, .of .one .of the brush isprings;

Fig. 7 is ;a detail side elevation of said brush spring;

Fig.8 is a detail end \elevationof another distributor .rotor and showing :brush assemblies mounted therein and constructed in accordance with another .aspectiof :the present invention;

:Fig. 9 is an enlarged afragmentary. sectiontaken substantially on the :line :9?9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. :10 sis a detail :top plan :view .of one :of :the :dual brush containers shown .in Figs. 18 "and i9;

l Eig. l1 is.a .verticalzlongitudinal central .section .of said container;

;Fig. :12 is :a detailend elevation of oneiof z-the Jbrush :holders shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 1 3=is.-a.detail endelevation, looking dram the left :of Fig. '14, of Jone-of :theibrushjsprings .showni-in Fig. 9; .and

Fig. 14 is a detail :side \:elevation :of said :brush spring.

Referring to the drawings, :the present :invenition :is herein illustrated, .by way .of .example, in iconnectioncwith 'ardistributor unit 5 of well known construction which is adapted .for :use :in the ignition system of a5mu1ti+cy1inderinternal combustion engine. As 1. shown, said .distributor -.,unit comprises .a .main body at!) having journalled jthcrein .a rotatable shaft 315' which is dr'ivably connected with a rotating partofthe engineuwith qwhich-the distributor .unit associated. rBody lfl and 'the various :parts '.(not shown) carried therebyrare;surroundedby;attubularlcasing:mem- :ber ;I2 :to oneend of which is tsuitablygsecured a :h'ousingmember t3, said tubular mernbe-r vbeing secured to. andsuppor edzbysa :body.

*Secureira byi fllts iiton i nl zbe ns s own to the right hand end of body lli,;asi vie ned;.in the drawings, is 1 a circular insulating plate l5 provided with an enlarged eentralsopening l6 through which distributor shaftJ-l extends. ,Partially embedded in .plate IErand pr 'eQting from one .face :thereof are two concentric .metal'lic rings H and 18 whichareelectricallyconnected in a known manner to sources.of.e1ec,trica1-.current (not-shown). -Facingplate l5 and spaced axially-therefrom is atsecond insulating late J9 which is secured to housing why means ofzbglts 20, only one of which is shown. Embedded in plate I9 and exposed at the left face thereof, as viewed in Fig. l, are two series of sets of contact 2| and 22 arranged in concentric circles about the axis of rotation of shaft II. Each contact 2| is in radial alignment with a contact 22, and each of the contacts 2I and 22 are electrically connected in a. known manner to the spark plugs in the engine cylinders.

Removably mounted on the projecting end of shaft I I for rotation therewith, such as by means of a Woodruff key 23 and a nut 24 threaded on the end of said shaft, is a rotor 25, commonly known as a distributor finger. This rotor or finger consists primarily of an elongated block of insulating material equipped with two pairs of carbon or like brushes 26, 2'! and 28, 29 adjacent opposite ends thereof for continuously picking up electrical current from rings I! and I8 and conducting the same to contacts 2| and 22,

respectively, ondistributor plate I9. Brushes 26 and 28 project from one face of finger 25 into engagement with rings I! and I8, respectively, and brushes 2'! and 29 project from the opposite face of said finger into engagement with contacts 2i and 22, respectively. Current picked up from outer ring I! is conducted to the inner ring or series of contacts 2I by the brushes 2B and 21,

and current picked up from the inner ring I8 removed from shaft I I or when housing I3 and,

hence, plate I9 is detached and removed. Each brush and mounting means therefor constitutes a single assembly comprising said brush, a holder 30 and a coil spring 3| which are adapted to be assembled independently of the distributor finger '25 and inserted as a single unit in one of four circular openings 32 formed in and extending .in an axial direction through said finger.

As shown, particularly in Figs. 4 and 5, each holder 38 is fabricated from a suitable conductive material, such as brass, and is in the .form of a tubular sleeve 33 provided at one end thereof with an enlarged lateral circular flange 34. The underside of fiange 34 is formed with a circular hub-like portion 35 which is of a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the openings 32 in finger 25 to facilitate centering of holder 38 in said opening. Hub portion 35 is provided with an annular groove 38 opening outwardly towards the free end of sleeve 33, and

the latter has a portion of its periphery cut away, as indicated at 31 (Fig. in a plane 5 parallel to its axis to provide an elongated slot 38 therein extending from the free end of said sleeve to approximately half the overall length of holder 30.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 6 and 7, spring 3| is of the close wound tension type and is fabricated from a suitable conductive material, such as copper. Spring 3| is so formed that the coil or loop 39 at one end thereof is square with the axis of said spring and is spaced from the adjacent coil, and that the coil or loop 40 at the other end thereof is also square with the axis but smaller in diameter than the other coils of said spring. 7

In one manner of assembling the above described parts of a brush unit, the carbon brush may first be inserted lengthwise through the open end of spring 3I until it engages the small diameter end coil 40 of said spring. Coil 4B is then spread over the reduced inner end of the brush which is provided with an annular half-round groove as indicated at M (Fig. 3) to receive said coil. To insure a good electrical comiection, coil 40 is preferably soldered to the brush. Thereupon the brush is inserted, free end first in the holder 33 through the free open end of sleeve and spring 3I is guided over said sleeve, said brush and spring being then moved along the holder, permitted by the slot 38 therein, until the end coil of spring 3| enters the annular groove 38 in holder 38. At this time the free end of the brush projects outwardly an appreciable distance beyond the flange 3 as illustrated in Fig. 3. Spring 3I is then secured to holder 33 by swaging and staking peripheral portions of hub 35 over coil 39 of said spring as illustrated in Fig. 3. Thus, the brush, the holder 38 and the spring 3I are mechanically and electrically connected together as a single unit assembly. If desired, the spring and holder may be assembled first and the carbon brush then inserted.

The brush assemblies 26-383I, 2'I3B3I, 283El-3I and 293Il3I are inserted in their respective openings 32 in distributor finger 25 with the hub portions engaged in said openings and the flanges 34 engaged in counter-bores 42 formed in opposite faces of said finger, thereby insuring that said assemblies are properly centered in openings 32 to enable free sliding movement of brushes 26, 2'I', 28 and 29, and free operation of springs 3|. The brush assemblies are secured to distributor finger 25 by pins 43 of brass or other conductive material which pass through and are riveted to said finger and the flanges 34 of holders 3!]. In securing the brush assemblies to finger 25 as described, it will be noted that the pins 43 which are located between the brush assemblies including the pairs of brushes 28, 21, and 28, 29, respectively, paSS to electrically connect the brush 26 with the brush 21, and the brush "28 with the brush29.

It will be noted that since the brushes 26, 27, 28 and 28 are connected to the inner coils of springs 3|, said brushes may be pressed inwardly to expand said springs, thereby placing the latter under tension so that the brushes will be urged outwardly relative to finger 25 and firmly pressed against rings IT, IS and contacts 2I and 22 when said finger is mounted on shaft I I and in assembled relation with plates I5 and I9. It will further be noted that the brushes 25, 21, 28 and 29 have a limited outward movement and cannot at any time be moved completely out of the finger 25.

Referring now to Figs. 8 to 14 of the drawings, which illustrate another embodiment of the present invention, the distributor rotor 53 is in the form of a disc of insulating material and provided with a central opening 5I and a keyway 52 to receive the distributor shaft II and key 23, respectively. Embedded in rotor so as to be an integral part thereof are two dual brush containers 53, 53 which are arranged diametrically opposite each other and at an angle such that one container extends to one side of the axis of the rotor and away from the sp rtan periphery er the latter, and the other extends to the opposite side {of said axis and towards s'aid periphery. "Thedescribedarrangement of containers 5t, 53 enables the use -of a smaller diameter rotor. I

As shown in-Figs. l "and l'1,each dual bru's'h container 53 is fabricated "from a suitable *condn'c'tiv'e material, such as soft brass, and is in "the form'of an elongated block provided inter mediate its upper and lower races with an external groove or recess 5 1 which may completely surround the same. 111 molding rotor "50 the material flows into 'grceve 54, as shown in Fig. '9, and thus permanently holds container 53 in said rotor. Container se s provided "with i two longitudinally spaced and aligned openings ts "extending therethrou'g h and which are slightly tapered, the direction of taper ?-being such that the small end or one seemin 55 adjacentone face of the I container 'and the small end "of the other opening 55 is adjacent the opposite face of said container. Cpeni'ngs 55 "terminate at their smalbends in counterbores 56 "which form internal annular shoulders 51' and thin external annular rims 58 that project outwardly beyond opposite faces of container 53.

Each container 53 is adapted to receive and electrically connect two brush assemblies indicated generally at 59, '59, each comprising an elongated carbon or the like brush 60, a holder GI, and a coil spring62. Brush 60 is formed with flattened sides as indicated at 63 (Figs. 8 and 9) and is slidably and nonrctatably mounted in a correspondingly shaped opening 64 (Fig. 12) 'formed in holder 61. from a suitable conductive material, such as brass, and is in the form of a sleeve provided adjacent 'one end thereof with an enlarged lateral circular flange 65 which is slightly smaller in diameter than the diameter of the counterbore 56.

As shown in Figs. 13 and 14,-spring 62 is of the close wound tension type and is fabricated from a suitable conductive material, such as copper. Spring 62 is so formed that the coils or loops 66 and-Slat opposite ends thereof, respectively, are -square with the axis of said spring, and are smaller and larger, respectively, in diameter than the intermediate coils. The bore of spring 62 is slightly greater than the external diameter of holder 6 I, and the outside diameter of said spring -is slightly smaller than the diameter of opening 55 at "the'small end thereof.

In one manner of "assembling the above described parts of each brush assembly :59 in containers 53, the carbon brush fitmay first be insei t'ed lengthwise through-tlie open end of spring 62 until it engages the small diameter end coil 56 which is in line with 'the axes of said spring and brush. Coil 66 is then spread over the reduced inner end of brush 6!] which is formed *wit'h'an'annularhalf round groove as indicated at 68 (Fig. 9) to receive said coil. To insure good electrical connection, coil 66 is preferably soldered to brush 60. Thereupon, the spring 62 with brush 65 soldered *theretois inserted into o'pening 55 through counterbore 56 until coil 'fi'l r'ests on shoulder 51 in said container. Holder 6| is then engaged over brush 60 and inserted in the bore of spring 52 through counterbore 56 until the inner end of said holder'eng'ages the-end'coil '66. Pressure is thenapplied onth'e outer end 'of holder 6 I 'until'the' flange 65 on said holder engages the coil 67 of spring 62, at'which 'tirnethe latter willbeslightly expanded asshown in Fig.9.

Thereupon, the rim- 58 "on ontainer 53 is bent inl-h'e latter is fabricated ward-1y over flange 65, 65 'ShOWfl in Fig. 9, thereby nr'mly securing holder 61 and the coil 61 of spring 62 to container 53. To insure a good electrical connection, rim 58 'is 'also soldered to flange =65. Thus, the brush B0,theholder 6'l and the spring 62 of each brush assembly 59 are mechanically and electrically connected together, and a pair of brush assemblies in each container '53 are electrically connected together by said container. If desired, the spring 62 and holder -61 may be inserted and secured first in container 53, and the'carb'on b'rush then inserted in said holder and secured to said spring, or the brush, the holder and the spring may first be assemb'led and then inserted as a unit in container -53.

Upon mounting of the rotor assembly on dis- "tributor shaft 1'] in proper o erating position, the brushes 60 are 'furtherdepres's'ed in ro'tor 50, thereby further eiqtia'nding springs 62 sothat the brushes will be'u'r'ged outwardly relative to'rctor -50 andfirmly pressed against rings 1-1, 8 and "con- 'tacts 2|, '22. -It Will be noted that the outward movement of brushes 60 by spr'ingsGZ is limited through engagement of the end co'ils B6 o'f 'sai'd springs with the adjacent ends of holders '61, with the result that'said brushes cannot at any time be moved completely out of rotor 50.

There is thus provided novel simplified'means for 'rnounting a brush or carbon or like material in a rotating or other part -of an ignition distributo'r or otherunit wherebysaid brus'h will be biased under spring "tension into operative po- :si-tion and retained against displacement from said part during assembling and disassembling of said unit. The novel construction of the mounting means enables assembling of the latter and the brush as a single in'depend'ent'unit. Furthergthe novel construction, arrangement and -operation of the brush springs-eliminates all lat- "eral binding and bending of said springs and rubbing of the same on theretor or finger, and sinc'e'the springs are expanded ratherthancom- :pressed to apply pressure to thebrushes, all rubbing of the coils o'r turns against eachother is 'also eliminated, with the result that said springs may be mad'e' fr'om heavier wire a and will last for an indefinite period. The novel arrangement-6f brvusn and mountingmeans has particular utility in a rota'ting distributor "rotor or 'fin'ger equipped with a plurality of brushes'in that it 'simplines construction of said rotor or-finger, decreases'the width or thickness thereof, and renders the same les's expensive to manufacture. Novel and reliable means are also provided 'for electrically connecting two adjacent brushes 'of the charac- 'ter disclosed. v Although only .tw'o embodi'rnentsof the inventio'nt'are illustratedan'd described indetail, "it is *to be expressly understood that the same is not limited thereto. Various changes, particularly the design and arrangement of 'the parts 'illustrated, may be made without departing "from the spirit and scopeof the invention aswill'now be apparent to those skilled in the art. For'a definition of the limits ofthe invention, reference is had primarily to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A brush assembly of the class described comprising a tubular member having a lateral fla'ng'e'at one end thereof and an '-'elonga'ted-'ex i'ally-'extending slot in the-oppositeend thereof, a conducting brush, such as -'a carbon brush, sneam mounted in said member and having one -*end *thereof projecting outwardly beyond said flange and the -opposite end disposed with r 7 in said member, and a coil spring surrounding said member, said spring having the coil at the end thereof adjacent said flange secured to the latter and the coil at the opposite end thereof extending through said slot and secured to said opposite end of said brush.

2. In an ignition distributor, a rotatable current distributing rotor comprising a block of insulating material having a pair of axially extending openings in opposite faces thereof and spaced radially and in close proximity with each other, a pair of conducting brushes, such as carbon brushes, means for mounting said brushes in said openings comprising a pair of tubular member of conductive material adapted to be inserted in said openings and to slidably support said brushes therein, said members having lateral flanges at one end thereof adapted to engage opposite faces of said block, a coil spring of conductive material surrounding each of said members and having one end thereof secured to the respective flange and the opposite end secured to the respective brush, and means including a pin of conductive material passing through both said flanges and said block for securing said members to the latter and for electrically connecting said brushes.

3. In apparatus of the class described, an insulating member having an opening therein, a sleeve mounted in said opening and fixed against movement relative to said member, a conducting brush, such as a carbon brush, slidably mounted in said sleeve and having aportion projecting outwardly beyond the latter, and a coil spring contained in said opening and surrounding said sleeve, said spring having the coil at the end thereof adjacent the outer end of the brush fixed against movement relative to said member and said sleeve, and the coil at the opposite end thereof extending laterally across the adjacent end of said sleeve and into axial alignment with the axis of said brush.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a container of conductive material having a pair of spaced openings therein, a pair of conducting brushes, such as carbon brushes, and means for mounting said brushes in said openings and for urging the same outwardly in opposite directions, comprising a pair of flanged sleeves of conductive material slidably supporting said brushes and adapted to be inserted in said openings, means for securing said sleeves to said container, and a coil spring of conductive material disposed in each of said openings and surrounding each of said sleeves, said spring having the coil at one end thereof fixed to said container and the coil at the opposite end thereof extending laterally across the adjacent end of the respective sleeve and into axial alignment with the axis of the respective brush.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a container of conductive material having a pair of spaced openings therein, a pair of conducting brushes, such as carbon brushes, provided with flattened opposite sides, and means for mounting said brushes in said openings and for biasing the same outwardly in opposite directions, comprising a pair of flanged sleeves of conductive material slidably and non-rotatably supporting said brushes and adapted to be inserted in said openings, means for securing said sleeves to said container, and a coil spring of conductive material disposed in each of said openings and surrounding said sleeves, said spring having the coil at one end thereof fixed to said container, and the coil at the opposite end thereof extending laterally across the adjacent end of the respective sleeve and connected with the adjacent end of the respective brush.

6. In an ignition distributor, a rotatable current distributing rotor comprising a block of insulating material, a container of conductive material embedded in said block, said container being provided with a pair of spaced openings extending axially therethrough, a pair of conducting brushes, such as carbon brushes, and means for mounting said brushes in said openings so as to project beyond opposite faces of said block and for biasing said brushes outwardly into operative positions, comprising a pair of flanged sleeves of conductive material slidably supporting said brushes and adapted to be inserted in said openings, means for securing said sleeves to said container, and a coil spring of conductive material disposed in each of said openings and surrounding said sleeves, said spring having the coil at one end thereof fixed to said container, and the coil at the opposite end thereof extending laterally across the adjacent end of the respective sleeve and connected with the adjacent end of the respective brush.

'7. In apparatus of the class described, an insulating member having an opening therein, an elongated conducting brush, such as a carbon brush, slidably mounted in said opening for movement to outward and to fully retracted position, and a coil spring contained in said opening and surrounding said brush, said spring having at one end thereof a coil of reduced diameter disposed coaxially with the axis of said spring and brush and connected with the inner end of said brush and the coil at the opposite end connected with said member.

8. In apparatus of the class described, an insulating member having an opening therein, an elongated conducting brush, such as a carbon brush, slidably mounted in said opening and having a portion adapted to project outwardly beyond said member and to be fully retracted, and a coil spring contained in said opening and surrounding the portion of said brush disposed in said opening, said spring having the coil at the end thereof adjacent the outer end of the brush connected with said member and the coil at the end thereof adjacent the inner end of the brush connected with the latter, said last-named coil being of reduced diameter and disposed coaxially with the axis of the spring and brush and both said coils being square with said axis.

9. A brush assembly of the class described comprising a tubular member having a lateral flange at one end thereof, a conducting brush, such as a carbon brush, slidably mounted in said member and having one end thereof adapted to project outwardly beyond said flange and to be fully retracted, and a coil spring surrounding said member, said spring having the coil at the end thereof adjacent said flange secured to the latter, the coil at the opposite end secured to the opposite end of said brush, and a portion adapted to serve as a limit stop by engaging the tubular member.

10. In apparatus of the class described, a block of insulating material having two openings extending therethrough and disposed in close proximity to each other, a pair of spring pressed conducting brushes, such as carbon brushes,

means including a pair of flanged holders of conductive material mounted in said openings with the flanges thereof disposed at opposite faces of said block and in overlapping relation for slidably mounting said brushes in said block so as to project beyond opposite faces of the latter, and common means carried by said block for mechanically and electrically connecting said holders. I

11. In apparatus of the class described, a block of insulating material having two openings extending therethrough and disposed in close proximity to each other, a pair of spring pressed conducting brushes, such as carbon brushes, means including a pair of flanged holders of conductive material mounted in said openings with the flanges thereof embedded in opposite faces of said block and overlapping each other for slidably mounting said brushes in said block,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 934,715 Denieport Sept. 21, 1909 1,774,998 Schroeder Sept. 2, 1930 

